What will he do seconds from the start of the race? Will he be able to hold on to third, at best, in what could be some early tense laps at the USA Grand Prix at COTA?
And if so, for how long will he be able to defy what could be menacing pace of his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, who surely will be pushing the SF 24 #55 hard from behind?
These are just some of the questions that may surely cloud the mind of several of Carlos Sainz’s fans.
And why not?
Surely, Sainz’s Monegasque teammate would do well to remember that the last that F1 came racing here at COTA last year, Leclerc scored a DNS and was marked the last on the grid.
Meanwhile, in 2023, Hamilton of Mercedes was just ahead in a lowly nineteenth, while the Scuderia driver scored twentieth.
But where it comes to Carlos Sainz jr., who begins his 2024 COTA Formula 1 race from third on the grid, the possibilities are endless. He’s been in some form. Pace has been his natural ally as seen this weekend. He topped FP1 soon after which he got a podium in the sprint race.
Which is why it may seem only fair to say that Sainz’s first basic aim now that he’s grabbed a fighting third at this venue should be to score some usefulness points and possibly try to claw his way back into the leadership point scoring board where he’s somewhere in proximity to teammate Charles.
Having said that, what should serve a definite case in point for the well noted Madrid-born is the very fact that last time around that F1 came to COTA, the Spanish driver scored a fighting podium.
He added to the allure and fun of racing at the Circuit of the Americas, a bit of a modern day cult.
It was a P3, and Sainz’s result was a far cry from his teammate’s rather forgettable outing.
Unfazed and focused and calm and determined Sainz would be raring to go especially since his last podium finish in the season, as on date, was Austria. It’s rather disturbing at a Tifosi level that the famed Spaniard, winner of this year’s Australian Grand Prix hasn’t been able to able to throw in some punches despite coming mighty close at dominating the Baku-bound Azerbaijan Grand Prix before he self imploded in the closing stages.
But that was then.
Today’s a new story and a push for new glory, something that the currently third placed Sainz would be careful about and ambitious for. In the past, he’s scored several P7 results at the said venue.
But for now, he’s not only outperformed Leclerc: a driver whose qualifying form is always daunting and consistent, but Carlos Sainz jr is also beginning the race in the next few hours, lest it is forgotten, from third on the grid. What will he do seconds from the start of the race? Will he be able to hold on to third, at best, in what could be some early tense laps at the USA Grand Prix at COTA?
And if so, for how long will he be able to defy what could be menacing pace of his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, who surely will be pushing the SF 24 #55 hard from behind? Surely, the Monegasque would do well to remember that the last that F1 came racing here at COTA last year, Leclerc scored a DNS and was marked the last on the grid. Meanwhile, in 2023, Hamilton of Mercedes was just ahead of the Ferrari in a lowly nineteenth, while the Scuderia driver scored twentieth.
But where it comes to Carlos Sainz jr., who begins his 2024 COTA Formula 1 GP from third on the grid, the possibilities are endless.
Which is why it may seem only fair to say that Sainz’s first basic aim now that he’s grabbed a fighting third in qualifying should be to score some usefulness points in the race.
What should serve a definite case in point for the well noted Madrid-born driver is the very fact that last time around that F1 came to COTA, the Spanish driver scored a fighting podium.
In so doing, while Sainz grabbed a hard earned top-3 finish; the victory belonged to Max Verstappen. But will that even be interesting to watch this time around as it’s not Max, but Lando Norris on pole?
Surely; the sport needs the rise of the papaya liveried cars. And to that end, both Norris, and Piastri love done a great job thus far.
But for the greater good of the F1 world, Verstappen, some will hope and even pray, won’t be able to take the driver’s crown or championship and victory will come to Norris.
He’ll work for it. Day in and day out.
At least, that is what seems to be the case. But then; must it not be forgotten that this is Formula 1, where the unexpected can be expected and usually happens.
And where it stands as of now, their version of unexpected would, as per the Tifosi be a Carlos Sainz win- a phenomenon in that his third today during quali is akin to the pleasant shower during the evening when least expected.
But ahead of him, it out to be remembered are, Verstappen and Norris, in that order; two men who are absolutely daggers drawn at each other. So what’s it going to be, Smooth Operator?